de-ses' (rapha', plural repha'im, "ghosts," "shades," is translated by "dead," "dead body," and "deceased" in both the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American)): The word seems to mean "soft," "inert," but its etymology is uncertain (see REPHAIM). The various writers of the Old Testament present, as is to be expected on such a subject, different conceptions of the condition of the deceased. In the beginning probably a vague idea of the continuation of existence was held, without the activities (Isaiah 59:10) and the joys of the present life (Psalm 49:17). They dwell in the "land of forgetfulness" (Job 14:21Psalm 88:5; compare Isaiah 26:14), they "tremble" of cold (Job 26:5), they totter and "stumble at noonday as in the twilight" (Isaiah 59:10), their voice is described as low and muttering or chirping (Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 29:4), which may refer to the peculiar pitch of the voice of the spirit medium when a spirit speaks through him. (The calling up of the dead, which was strictly forbidden to Israel (Leviticus 19:31; Leviticus 20:27) is referred to in 1 Samuel 28:13 and perhaps in Isaiah 14:9.) The deceased are separated from their friends; love and hatred have both ceased with them (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6); "There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol" (Ecclesiastes 9:10). The deceased are unable to praise Yahweh (Psalm 6:5; Psalm 88:10-12Isaiah 38:18; Baruch 2:17; Sirach 17:27, 28). Nor does there seem to have been at first an anticipation of reward or punishment after death (Psalm 88:10; Sirach 41:4), probably because the shades were supposed to be lacking the organs by which either reward or punishment could be perceived; nevertheless they are still in the realm of God's power (1 Samuel 2:6Psalm 86:13; Psalm 139:8Proverbs 15:11Isaiah 7:11Hosea 13:14Amos 9:2; Tobit 13:2).

Gradually the possibility of a return of the departed was conceived (Genesis 5:242 Kings 13:21Psalm 49:15; Psalm 73:24; Psalm 86:13Hosea 13:14; The Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-7; 4:13, 14; 6:18, 19; 10:14). Even here it is often more the idea of the immortality of the soul than that of the resurrection of the body, and some of these passages may be interpreted as allegorical expressions for a temporal rescue from great disaster (e.g. 1 Samuel 2:6); nevertheless this interpretation presupposes the existence of a deliverance from the shadows of Sheol to a better life in the presence of Yahweh. Some passages refer clearly to such an escape at the end of the age (Daniel 12:2Isaiah 26:19). Only very few of the Old Testament believers reached the sublime faith of Job (19:25, 26) and none the blessed expectation taught in the New Testament, for none but Christ has "brought life and immortality to light" (2 Timothy 1:10John 5:28, 29).

The opinion that the dead or at least the newly buried could partake of the food which was placed in graves, a custom which recent excavations have clearly shown to have been almost universal in Palestine, and which is referred to in Deuteronomy 26:14 and Tobit 4:17, was soon doubted (Sirach 30:18), and food and drink prepared for the funeral was henceforth intended as the "bread of comfort" and the "cup of consolation" for the mourners (Jeremiah 16:72 Samuel 3:35Ezekiel 24:17). Similarly the offering and burning of incense, originally an homage to the deceased, became a relief for the mourner (2 Chronicles 16:14; 2 Chronicles 21:19Jeremiah 34:5). See also The Wisdom of Solomon 3:2; 7:06; Sirach 38:23, and articles on CORPSE; DEATH; HADES; SHEOL.

Going Out and Going In... II. PETER GOING OUT AND GOING IN. 'An entrance ... my decease.'"2 Peter 1:11, 15. I do not like ... of this. 'My decease ... an entrance .../.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/going out and going in.htm

'In the Holy Mount'... Elias: 31. Who appeared in glory, and spake of His decease which He should accomplish at Jerusalem.'"Luke 9:30, 31. The mysterious .../.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/in the holy mount.htm

Letter Lviii. --Second Letter to Orsisius.... when he heard about our father Theodorus, was grieved, and sent this letter to the Abbat Orsisius and the brethren to console them for his decease, as follows .../.../letter lviii second letter to orsisius.htm

The Transfiguration.... It is, I think, indicated in the fact, also recorded by St Luke, that the talk of his heavenly visitors was "of his decease which he should accomplish at .../.../macdonald/miracles of our lord/xii the transfiguration.htm

The Water of Life;... In it he refers to one of those ten excellent manuscripts left by him at his decease, prepared for the press, and afterwards published by Mr. Doe. .../.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the water of life.htm

Jesus Only!... The conversation is about Christ's 'decease,' the wonderful event which was to constitute Him Lord of the living and of the dead. .../...//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/expositions of holy scripture d/jesus only.htm

Third Withdrawal from Herod's Territory.... that miraculous knowledge may have accompanied miraculous sight.] ^c 31 who [ie, Moses and Elijah] who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he was .../.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/lxx third withdrawal from herods 4.htm

Corruption Tends to Non-Existence.... be so blind or stupid as to doubt how to answer himself, or as not to see that, in proportion as anything is corrupted, in that proportion it approaches decease.../.../chapter 40 name tends to.htm

Thesaurus

Decease (2 Occurrences)... 2. (vi) To depart from this life; to die; to pass away. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. DECEASE, IN NEW TESTAMENT. ...DECEASE, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT AND APOCYPHRA. .../d/decease.htm - 13k

Death (1610 Occurrences)... PHYSIOLOGICAL AND FIGURATIVE VIEW The word "Death" is used in the sense of (1) the process of dying (Genesis 21:16); (2) the period of decease (Genesis 27:7 .../d/death.htm - 68k

Go (17871 Occurrences)... and come. 11. (vi) To pass away; to depart forever; to be lost or ruined; to perish; to decline; to decease; to die. 12. (vi) To .../g/go.htm - 19k

Inherit (98 Occurrences)... death of an ancestor or other person to whose estate one succeeds; to receive as a right or title descendible by law from an ancestor at his decease; as, the .../i/inherit.htm - 38k

Transfiguration... Jesus was talking with Moses and Elijah, the subject of the discourse, as the disciples probably learned later, being of the decease (exodus) which Jesus was .../t/transfiguration.htm - 17k

Endeavor (3 Occurrences)... Certainly not! (See RSV). 2 Peter 1:15 Moreover, I will endeavor that ye may be able, after my decease, to have these things always in remembrance. (WBS). .../e/endeavor.htm - 8k

Bible Concordance

Decease (2 Occurrences)

Luke 9:31 Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.(KJV ASV WBS)

2 Peter 1:15 Moreover I will endeavour that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. (KJV ASV WBS)